What Are Glucose Test Strips Used For
Lets start with the basics: Blood glucose meters and the test strips they require allow PWDs to measure and monitor their blood sugar levels at home and on the road. First developed in 1965 and used in doctors offices, meters and test strips started to become available for PWDs at home in 1980.
To take a blood sugar reading, the user inserts the strip into the meter and applies a drop of blood, using the lancet needle to poke their finger. Most meters produce a reading within seconds. The meter can store that data for later review by the PWD and their doctor.
Meters and strips are now an essential part of diabetes management for most PWDs. That includes 30+ percent of people with type 1 diabetes who now use CGMs, yet still do fingerstick tests to calibrate their monitors although backup fingerstick tests are not required by the Food and Drug Administration with some of the newer CGM systems, including Dexcom G6, Abbott Freestyle Libre, and the implantable Eversense CGM.
How Do Diabetes Test Strips Work
When blood is placed onto the test strip, it reacts with a chemical called glucose oxidase producing gluconic acid from the glucose in the blood. At the other end of the test strip, the meter transfers a current to the test strip. The test strip has electric terminals which allow the meter to measure the current between the terminals.
The current between the terminals changes depending on the level of gluconic acid that has been produced. The blood glucose meter then uses an algorithm to work out the blood glucose level based upon the difference in current.
Some blood glucose test strips allow the reapplication of more blood to the same test strip if needed during the test. The amount of blood required by a test strip can vary between manufacturers. Generally, between 0.5 l to 1 l of blood is required.
Some test strips, not so commonly used these days, do not require a meter. When blood is placed on the active part of the strip and then wiped off after a specified number of seconds, the reagent will change colour and the result can be obtained by matching the colour of against a colour chart on the side of the pot.
It is less accurate than using a blood glucose meter but the test strips can often be cheaper.
Sell Your Strips For More
Sell Your Strips for More will accept test strips that have a minimum of one month before they expire. They also will purchase damaged boxes. They offer an online form to fill out before you ship your test strips, or you can request they mail you a form. After you ship the test strips, Sell Your Strips for More will keep you informed of the progress of the shipment every step of the way. They pay within 24 hours of receipt of the test strips.
Sell Your Strips for More645 Vermont St
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True Metrix Test Strips
The real cost of a lot of blood glucose meters, however, isnt the cost of the meter. Its the cost of the test strips that are used with the meter. Every test requires a fresh strip.
If the strip has gotten moisture in it, if it has been used or if it has expired, then it wont give a good reading. It is important that the strips be kept in a sealed container when not selecting one for use.
It is also important that the users hands be clean and dry before trying to get a reading as contaminants on the skin can change the reading and give false information.
At that point, it doesnt matter whether you are using a plain, ordinary reader with true Metrix test strips or the one that uses Bluetooth technology, you will have as the computer programming people say a bad case of GIGO, or garbage in, garbage out.
The uninitiated person might think that those true Metrix test strips are just pieces of litmus paper, or something similar. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Each strip is carefully layered.
At the very bottom of the layer is the most important part: a gold and palladium computer circuit, waiting to transmit information about your blood.
Next up is a mediator chemical that moves the blood along the track, and above that is the enzyme that reacts with the blood to create the chemical reaction that measures the blood sugar. At the very top is a sort of sponge that absorbs the blood.
But There Are Potential Pitfalls For Sellers
The signs refer to diabetic test strips used to measure blood sugar levels. But why would anyone be trying to buy them on the street — or want to sell them, for that matter?
It turns out that many people with diabetes and good health insurance get their testing supplies free, or at very little cost. But just as many people with diabetes — perhaps more — dont have good insurance and have to pay for their supplies out of pocket.
The situation has created a black market of sorts, managed by entrepreneurial middle-men who buy unused test strips from the first group of diabetes patients and sell them to the second group.
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How To Avoid Counterfeit Blood Glucose Test Strips
Until recently, counterfeit blood glucose test strips is a rare occurrence in the United States. However, the brand LifeScan has known to have the most frequent counterfeit issues. In the past, they have announced that the counterfeit test strips has shown unreliable performance that includes highly inaccurate test resultsand it is unknown how counterfeit test strips that may be in the marketplace will perform. As of 2016, there has not been any counterfeit issues reported by LifeScan or the United States government. However, just to be safe, always check your test strips for signs of counterfeits.
- Tamper MRP Label
All genuine test strip packaging have a Tamper Evident MRP Label. Once peeled off, it would reveal the words OPEN. If the label does not say OPEN, the pack is counterfeit.
- Scratch Label
All genuine test strips packaging have a scratch label. When you scratch off the layer, it would reveal a unique number which can be verified by calling the manufacturer customer service.
If you suspect that you have a counterfeit test strips or have any concern with the test strip, dont hesitate to call the manufacturer customer service for assistance.
Several other companies are also developing technologies that can automatically send blood glucose readings from a meter to insurers. In doing so, companies can truly see if the patient is getting the strips for personal use or whether they are committing fraudulent claims.
Which Glucose Meter Has The Cheapest Test Strips
Prodigy test strips for several brands of Prodigy meters, which cost about $.19 per strip, appeared to be the cheapest at the time of our research in August 2021.
But remember that even among the most budget-conscious glucose meters and strips, there are many different features that may factor into your choice of product. See this guide to drugstore brand glucose meters for details.
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Where To Buy True Metrix Test Strips
True Metrix Test strips are available online or through your local pharmacy. If you bought your meter there, you are likely to be able to purchase supplies for it.
True test strips can also be purchased from other Internet sources. Do, however, be cautious. Your source should be a legitimate outlet, that is authorized to sell medical supplies.
There is, strangely enough, a black-market trade in diabetic supplies. Such supplies might have been illegally purchased from individuals who are receiving assistance or might supply that are from true test strips discontinued stocks. Such supplies increase the likelihood of error readings or false readings.
The True Metrix Meter And True Metrix Text Strips Advantage
The True Metrix meter and True Metrix test strips offer an affordable, reasonably reliable resource to help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels through self-testing at home.
As with all such products, they are best used in conjunction with a doctors care. With that said, they help put control back in the hands of diabetic persons, allowing them to lead a normal life one that encompasses the ability to hold down a job, have a family and do all the things that people without the condition are accustomed to doing.
Between purchasing insulin, test strips, periodic check-ups and the occasional emergency visit, diabetes can become an expensive condition with true test strips discontinued.
Fortunately, modern testing methods make it easier for people who are diabetic to manage their condition, taking a great deal of the guesswork out of balancing blood sugar and insulin.
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What To Do With All These Test Strip Containers
If you require several blood glucose test a day, you will soon have boxes full of these empty test strip containers. But it doesnt mean that you have to throw them all away. You can simply upcycle them for other purposes:
1. Create emergency sewing kits
2. Turn it into craft storage
If you do beading work, these containers are perfect for organizing all your different beads and beading accessories.
3. Turn it into a small candy stash container
If you like to buy candy in bulk, you can fill them in these little containers and stash them in your pockets and bring them wherever you go.
4. Trinkets Organizer
If you have a lot of accessories, these containers are perfect for organizing them in your drawers. This way, your necklaces will never tangle into a ball along with your rings and earrings.
5. Seed Sorters
If you are an avid gardener, you will have plenty of seeds every fall. These containers will be perfect for you to organize your seed collection
6. Play-Do Keeper
The air-tight containers are great for keeping all your childrens Play-Do fresh and moist. You can even refresh old Play-Do by moistening a cotton pad with water and place it at the bottom. This way, the Play-Do will absorb the moisture and will be soft for molding again.
7. Paint Keeper
If you love to paint, you can put your paint straight into these containers. And when you are done painting, you do not need to throw away the paint. Just put the lid back on and your paint will be safely stored.
The Advantage Of Bluetooth And A Diabetes Management App
While reading and recording the results from your True Metrix meter by using True Metrix test strips is an inexpensive method, it creates a margin for error. You might forget to write down your results.
You might make an error in reading the meter. Over time, it can become just one more thing that you must remember and do as part of your diabetes management, and therefore become something that you are tempted to forget. Furthermore, paper records can be damaged or lost.
When you use a diabetes management app, such as True Metrix Air, your readings are automatically added to your general diabetes management app.
It is then easy for caregivers to read a report which is stored in the air cloud and for you to generate reports for yourself that help you to view trends in your blood sugar management.
Such records can help give a heads up about when you might want to make an unscheduled visit to your physician or diabetes management facility to double check your levels and to check your meter.
If you are newly diagnosed as diabetic, or if you are in a new geographical area, dont hesitate to contact local support organizations and make yourself known to them.
Local folk often are aware of assistance organizations and other resources that might not be widely advertised.
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Best Practices To Reduce Risk
Diabetes has become more and more common in the United States. This condition requires the patient to inject themselves with insulin and check their blood sugar levels, two to four times a day. In 2015, more than 30 million Americans had diabetes, thats nearly 10 percent of the population. Even more startling is the fact that each year more than 1.5 million people are diagnosed with the disease. If you or a loved one injects insulin to maintain control of blood sugar, its key that you follow specific rules and federal and state regulations for disposing of needles, test strips and lancets used to collect blood samples.
Is It Ok To Use Expired Lancets
Just like the expired test strips, even the use of expired lancets should be avoided to be able to manage your blood sugar levels in a safe and efficient manner. However, the reason may be different.
The use of an expired lancet may not lead to an inaccurate reading as the lancet is needed only to prick your finger to get a drop of blood. However, using an expired lancet might cause an infection at the site of puncture as it might have lost its sterility.
Hence, it is advisable to discard the lancets once their expiry date is over. This is specifically important for diabetic patients as the rise in blood sugar levels can make them vulnerable to develop infections easily. So, the use of expired unsterile lancets may facilitate the entry of infectious organisms into their body putting them at risk of infections. This marks the need to check the expiry date of the lancets before use.
Healthcare professionals also caution against the tendency of diabetic patients to use expired lancets or test strips as a cost-saving measure. The FDA has warned that saving money by using expired or pre-owned lancets and strips may be a highly unsafe practice in the short run as well as the long run.
Doing so can carry a potentially higher risk of serious infections . Relying on the accuracy of such tests to monitor the blood sugar levels and manage diabetes could also eventually lead them to develop serious complications due to the wrongly perceived higher or lower than the actual readings.
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We take care of everything.
As the worlds leading Test Strip Management and Purchasing company, we are a team of professionals that continually strive to meet and exceed our customers expectations. For more than 18 years, weve been passionate about providing the perfect solutions for our test strip buying clients.
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Test Strip Reimbursement Limits
To help monitor the number of test strips your patient has received during a 365-day period, the ministryâs Health Network System will track and determine the reimbursement level based on each patientâs diabetes treatment.
The chart below shows the reimbursement limits for test strips for each 365-day period:
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How Long Do Blood Glucose Strips Last For
Blood glucose test strips will usually have a use by date on the strips or box they come in. After opening, blood glucose test strips will typically be good to use for another 3 to 6 months but refer to the box or information leaflet for advice specific to your brand of test strips.
If you have more than one box of test strips, its a good idea to use the oldest one first, so they dont expire.
Glue Removal From Glucose Test Strips
nthawk52 said:having one heck of a time getting the glue off test strips. so far i’ve soaked 111 strips in non-acetone nail polish remover for 4 days, shaking the jar frequently. the solution turned from pink to amber after 2 days so i filtered it in a coffee filter. strips still really tacky. put strips in new jar and covered with “new” polish remover. STILL tacky!Here’s my question: can I soak them in pure ethyl acetate for better results? Or is there a better way?
Geo said:gasoline is also a good solvent for that glue and before anyone blows a gasket, its no more explosive than most any other solvent.
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Preparation Of Blood Samples
Venous blood from healthy volunteers was collected into Na-Heparin blood collection tubes. The natural Hct level of the blood was measured using a micro-Hct centrifuge and capillary tubes. This instrument includes a built-in automatic tube reader and liquid crystal display to guide the operator through test procedure and result display. For Hct values that are greater than the natural value, the appropriate volume of plasma is removed from the sample . After careful mixing, the Hct values of the adjusted blood samples are measured using a HemataSTAT-II.
For samples with a required Hct value of less than natural, plasma is added to a sample of whole blood, effectively diluting the RBCs. The Hct value of these adjusted bloods is then measured as indicated earlier.
The glucose level of the blood samples is prepared by spiking the samples with a concentrated stock solution of glucose prepared in isotonic saline. The plasma concentration of glucose, after allowing the sample to equilibrate, is measured by first centrifuging the sample using a bench top centrifuge and presenting a sample of the resultant plasma to a YSI® 2700 SELECT glucose analyzer .
